City of David

Sorry for not posting for a while. Things have been really busy. And the internet is being picky, so those Egypt pictures might have some more waiting before they become visible. Sorry.

On Monday we went to the City of David. It was really cool. We started off with a video presentation giving a brief history of the City. Of course, it was in 3-D. Even historical parks have given in to the 3-D gimmick. At least it was decent 3-D. Pigeons flying in your face and stuff. Then we got on a tower to look at it from above. We got to see what was probably part of David's palace. Next to that were a few houses and a toilet seat from about 600 BC. Then we went down to the Gihon Spring and walked through Hezekiah's Tunnel. The water was not as deep as I had expected. It was really fun.

This Sunday we're going to go to Eilat to go snorkeling in the Red Sea. That will be lots of fun. Then on Monday we're going to Israel's Holocaust museum. It should be really good.

New Phones

We got new phones today. This means that I can text people in the States 400 times a month. It also means that you can call me if you wish to pay the international call rates. Google voice rates to an Israeli cell phone is ten cents a minute, so not too bad. Should you wish to call me my number is 011-975-54-700-4285.

Pit Tomb 33

Well, here it is. Pit Tomb 33. Enjoy.

Egypt!

Well, we've been back for about a week now. Sorry it's taken me so long to do this. The first few days back the internet was swamped with people uploading pictures (sort of like what I'm doing now...). Anyway, Egypt.

Egypt was really cool. Seriously, it was about ten degrees cooler than I expected. But it was still way up there, especially in Luxor.

So, we left Jerusalem and stopped at a few archaeological sites. One of them was Arad. Arad is cool because it has the only remaining Ancient Israelite temple. Here I am in the Holy of Holies

Me in the Holy of Holies

That was really cool. Then we stayed overnight at a kibbutz. That was fun. There was good food and a swimming pool.

The next day we got to Egypt, getting into Cairo in the evening. We took our stuff to the hotel rooms and went over to the Pyramids Sound and Lights show. That was pretty cool. Pretty much the same information we had had in class, but with lights and an animated face on the Sphinx talking to us.

Then we went to the pyramids themselves the next day (I think it was Monday?). I got to take this cool shot of the smallest of the three while standing on Kufu's pyramid. Yes, not technically legal, but the guards called me over and helped me up.

You can tell I was actually on the pyramid

Then we went to a few other, earlier pyramids. The step pyramids. We went to the tomb of this guy named Ti. That was pretty cool because there wasn't anyone around. The paint was amazing. Striking, vivid color of paints that had been on those walls for 3,000 years. Then we got to go down to his burial chamber. That was really cool because there were a bunch of scarab beetles down there.

That night we flew down to Luxor. Luxor was a lot hotter than Cairo. But still not too bad. The hotel was very nice. We stayed at the Sheraton Luxor. There was a great view backing onto the Nile. Where I got this picture.

We went to the valley of the Kings. Went into Rameses I's tomb. Rameses II's would have been really cool, but that's been closed for a long time. Of course we went to King Tut-ankh-aman's tomb. Not too spectacular. Very small. They did have his mummy on display in there, so that was kinda cool. He was really small. Of course he died very young, too.

Then we went to the temple of Hatchepsut. That was pretty cool. The coolest thing there was something that I forgot to post a picture of, so I'll do that in a follow-up. It was Pit Tomb 33. Really, not too remarkable. And nobody outside Mormondom would find it worthwhile. It's so cool because it is a very likely candidate for where the Papyrus of the book of Abraham was found.

Then we went to the Karnak and Luxor temples. Those were really cool. Especially Karnak. That place is huge. All sorts of columns and rooms. Really cool hieroglyphics everywhere.

We took a train overnight back to Cairo. Back at Cairo we went to the Cairo Museum. There we saw a bunch of mummies, including Rameses II. For those who don't know, Rameses II is widely considered the Pharaoh of the Exodus, Moses's adoptive brother. Then we had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe.

We were treated to more long bus rides until we got to Sinai. Then it was waking up at 2 AM to go and hike up Mt. Sinai in order to watch the sunrise. It was spectacular and well worth it. Sorry, no pictures for now. I forgot my camera, so I have to steal some. The stone up there is truly remarkable. Formations like I have never seen before. One of my teachers saw (in 1994) a spot that looked like two stone tables had been taken out of the stone, but I couldn't find it.

Then we got back on Monday night. It was a great trip. If there's anything specific you'd like to know, comment or shoot me an email.